Saturday, July 11, 2015 - 2:50 am PT
What a difference 24 hours makes. Yet again, we all worked late, yet again it is 1:30 AM. But we've got plenty to show for our labor. We began the day at 17,000 ft, blessed again with perfect weather. We are ending the day down at 11,000 ft in the clouds. It was tough work and we had plenty of dangerous steps to get just right, but we negotiated each of them safely. There was the airy walk along the crest of the West Buttress, the steep and strenuous fixed ropes, the awkward side hill of Windy Corner, the new snow to plod through on the Polo Field and Squirrel Hill and a few well disguised crevasses to sidestep on Motorcycle Hill. Done. Almost. Now for some rest and a cruise out the lower glacier.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Today we visited the world famous Ngorongoro Crater, considered to be the 8th natural wonder of world. The crater is roughly 100 square miles and is home to roughly 30,000 mammals that reside here year round, as it’s one of the few places that has natural springs. We started early with hopes of catching a few big cats before the heat of the day sent them in search of shade.
All the usual suspects were there, zebras, wildebeest, Cape buffalo, hyenas, jackles, ostrich, many many birds, and even manage to get very close to a few lions. There was a Black Rhino spotted not to far off. Everyone was amazed at the abundance of wildlife to say the least.
We have just finished another wonderful meal here at the Plantation Lodge and the team is off to bed after a long, but very rewarding day on safari.
Just wonderful! Such a natural place for all the animals. No fences. No cages. What a special area this for these lucky creatures. Memories forever for all of you. Wish I was there!
John Buckett
Thursday, June 20, 2019 9:27 PM PT
We made it onto the mountain first thing after breakfast today. Things went about as easily as they possibly could. The weather in Talkeetna was fine and first reports from the mountain were similar. It wasn’t like we were racing our two planes in to the mountains trying to take advantage of some tiny break in the weather. We took the standard team photograph under the nose of a big red K2 ski-equipped Otter and then got busy loading up. Just as the planes were lifting off the runway we could see a young moose some fifty feet off the port side wingtip. The rest of the flight was just the normal beautiful as we crossed from green and flat tundra to white snow and steep black rock. After 45 minutes, at around 9:30 AM our pilots had us on final approach to Kahiltna International. We had a little work to do then, dragging loads from the airplanes to a suitable campsite in the snow, and building tents. But we did all of that in the middle of a spectacular -and for many of us- unfamiliar setting of giant peaks and surreal cloud forms. We set into a few training sessions reviewing glacier travel techniques and crevasse protocols. The afternoon was endless and easy and then we sat together in a snow dining room to have dinner and take a break. Finally, the team had a few last chores getting packed and sorted before an early bedtime. Just as we finished up, a speed climber came trotting up the SE Fork on snowshoes. The man casually and cheerfully claimed a new round trip speed record for Denali of 11 hours and 40 minutes. Our lower jaws hit the snow in disbelief and astonishment. We congratulated the man and went back to launching our three week version of the same thing. The gang was in bed by 7 PM. The alarm will go off at 12:30 AM and we’ll get motivating.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn & Team
Wednesday, June 5, 2019 - 10:39 PM PT
Wow! We got a little bit of every weather pattern today on our move to Camp 1 located at 7,800’. It was overcast, hot, cold, windy, calm, thunder and we got two different rounds of snow. Back to the beginning of the day, our flight into the Alaska Range was spectacular. After a quick breakfast, K2 Aviation told us to suit up and put boots on, we were going flying. The Team did well with the heavy packs and sleds. We got into camp after seven hours and while the tents are bombproof, the rest is like that pig who made his house out of straw. Tomorrow we hope to carry half our camp up to 10,000’ but we might get weathered in. Regardless we’ll check in and look forward to another day on Denali.
RMI Guide Mike King
This was a day for naps and meals and diversions. The wind was on again and off again throughout the day. The sun never did break through and snow kept falling on Union Glacier. There was never any question of airplanes coming to visit. One of the ALE snowcat drivers plowed up a fifty foot long, eight foot high snow berm as a shield around our sleeping tents, which is certainly a comfort. As usual, the staff kept serving up excellent meals (for about 130 staff and guests) and presenting great lectures to fill the time. For evening entertainment, we watched “the Perfect Storm” in the library tent.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
What a nice contrast to the past seven days of climbing a 19,340' mountain. Tired legs got a much needed rest as we drove around Lake Manyara National Park searching out wildlife made famous in National Geographic specials on TV. We were not disappointed.
We rode around in retooled Toyota Land-cruisers made just for game viewing, complete with pop up roofs for looking at critters from above roof top level. These vehicles are the perfect way to access the terrain where we find the animals. Our team was split between two Land-cruisers. Our two drivers/guides, Francis and Godson, proved to be incredible sources of knowledge, having to graduate from a two year university program and do internships before being qualified as a safari guide. Yes, we saw zebras, hippos,wildebeests, Cape buffalo, baboons, monkeys, tons of birds, dik diks, impalas, and I forget what all else. But we also learned such things as the inner workings of termite mounds, the love life of baboons and a myriad of other things. Oh, and the other team got to see a bull elephant from ten yards away!
Now we're settled in at our plush hotel, the Plantation Lodge, where we're being spoiled by some cush living. Tomorrow, the Ngorogoro Crater awaits that should prove to be especially exciting. Ok, that's all for tonight. Dinner is served in ten minutes and I don't want to be late. I haven't had anything less than a superb meal here on Tanzania, and I expect no less tonight.
Lala Salama,
RMI Guide Brent Okita
Saturday, June 30th - 10:30 pm PT
The snow quit abruptly last night at around 11 PM after about a foot of new. Forecasts called for more snow today -about a 70 percent chance of it. So we were on our guard. But this day dawned crisp cold and clear above us (with a sea of cloud below). For various reasons we opted not to pull the trigger on our carry today... there were traffic jams and a lot of new snow to wallow through. For exercise and a thrill, we roped up and ventured over to the “edge of the world” a rock outcrop at the edge of Genet Basin. From that edge, the world drops vertically for four thousand feet to a branch of the NE Kahiltna Glacier. We stepped out to the apex of rock overhanging the drop and mugged for photos while the clouds swirled in and out mysteriously.
The afternoon ended up restful and pleasant... and not so snowy. We’ll be ready to climb tomorrow.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
Today we hiked back to where we started this adventure: younger and wiser, of course. The beautiful land we have traveled across for the past eight days has touched us all. From the beach tree forests to the smooth stone beaches of Nordernskjold Lake, we have all learned to appreciate the air and water around us. What a perfect trip for great weather and remote places. One of the biggest realizations is the food here is so good and we could have left some luxury items behind. We still have one more day tomorrow to finish the W and take in more outstanding views but now we celebrate hiking the circuit! Other than a few blisters, everyone is doing well!
RMI Guide Christina Dale
Hey, everybody this is Casey Grom checking in again from here on Kilimanjaro. We wanted to let everybody know we woke to a beautiful clear sky and had an incredibly nice breakfast in our camp this morning. Our route ascends a ridge line and then as we just get out of the trees the route veers to the north and we make our way towards what's called the Shira Plateau created by a very long ago eruption. It took us about 4 1/2 hours to get up here. It was sunny all day and the team did great. The trail was a little busy because there are quite a few folks climbing this route with us, but we did really well. We spent the remainder of the day hanging out and our giant dining tent being catered to here in Africa. We just wrapped up dinner. The sky is full of beautiful stars and the team is headed off for bed and looking to get a good night's rest before getting up in the morning and going for another walk. I will check in again tomorrow. No cell service today, but should have it tomorrow, so hopefully we'll get some fresh photos up for everybody back home. Thanks for following.
RMI Guide Casey Grom
RMI Guide Casey Grom calls in from Shira Camp on Kilimanjaro.
We have not had many blue skies this trip and today was no exception. The morning provided some great views of the glaciated mountains in the distance as we climbed up Warmi Huanusca Pass at 13,600'. The rain set in and would come and go as the Team go closer to the cloud forest after climbing the second pass of the day named Runkurakay 13,022'.
Today we will join a slew of people hiking the Inca Trail, the team has enjoyed the last 4 days in relative solitude. We took in a few Incan ruins and some members continued to document the floral and avian life that this part of the world offers. Some just took in the views provided when the rain would stop and clouds would lift while figuring out a sequence of ascending and descending the wet Incan steps.
Everyone is doing well, resting in their tents at Chaquicocha 9,900' and looking forward to the ruins at WinayWayna and Machu Picchu in the coming days.
RMI Guide Mike King
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Just wonderful! Such a natural place for all the animals. No fences. No cages. What a special area this for these lucky creatures. Memories forever for all of you. Wish I was there!
John Buckett
Posted by: John Buckett on 2/4/2025 at 7:53 am
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